I checked my weapons again and adjusted the straps of my armor. I didn’t know why I was doing it; the weapons were already loaded, the armor securely fastened. Maybe it was nerves. No, it was definitely nerves. The kind of restlessness that seeps into your bones and makes you doubt everything, even what you know is in order.

I glanced at Melena, who seemed to be regaining some composure. I gave him a firm nod. He responded with a quick nod of his own, navigating the terminal with surprising ease. Within seconds, the door began to move, its motors emitting a deep hum that vibrated through the floor.

“It has to be at least 20 centimeters thick…” I murmured, watching as the steel slowly slid upward. The edges of the structure revealed a shiny, almost iridescent material unlike any common alloy. Even in the middle of my tension, my mind wandered for a second into a technical analysis that had no place at the moment. “This isn’t something the scavengers could have—”

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted. A sharp metallic noise, like the cocking of a weapon, echoed through the air.

—Shit, Melena, take cover! —I shouted, feeling the adrenaline hit me like a wave.

Without thinking, I shoved him to the side of the door. He barely had time to react before collapsing to the ground, out of the line of fire.

I took cover on the opposite side of the door, my weapon already steady in my hands. Before I could think, before I could analyze, instinct took over. I opened fire.

The first bursts lit up the dark hallway beyond the door, revealing flashes of movement. Figures darted in the shadows, quick and erratic. I fired at everything that moved, short, controlled bursts, just as I’d been taught.

The noise was deafening. The echo of bullets ricocheted off the metallic walls, mixing with screams and the sounds of impacts. There was no time to process. It all happened too fast, a whirlwind of noise, light, and motion.

My finger didn’t leave the trigger until the empty click of the magazine pulled me back to reality. I swapped the magazine automatically, barely registering the motion. Gunfire flew toward me in the process. Once, twice, three more times I repeated the process, until my mind finally started to register the silence.

The hallway was quiet now. The smell of burnt gunpowder filled the air, mingling with something more acrid: blood and metal. My breathing roared in my ears as I scanned the area, weapon still raised, searching for any sign of movement.

—Melena? —I murmured, not daring to raise my voice too much.

From the other side of the door, I heard a muffled groan. I saw him, trembling in a corner, trying to bury his head between his knees. He was okay, at least physically. His face was pale, but his eyes were still focused, which, at this point, was already a victory.

—I’m… fine, —he replied weakly, trying to pull himself together as he stood up.

I wasn’t so sure the same could be said for me. The shaking in my hands was becoming noticeable now that the moment had passed. The weapons in my hands were hotter than they should have been, and sweat dripped down my forehead.

—Let’s go.

Finally, the figures I had been fighting against became clear through the smoke and chaos. They weren’t just scavengers. The scorched remains of several of them lay near the door, their makeshift weapons still clutched in their hands. But these hadn’t been my only enemies. Across the hallway stood imposing silhouettes of metal: combat droids.

—I guess this clears it up… —I muttered, scanning the scene—. This place is a Nemadian experimental lab, funded by HYDRA.

—Yes,— Melena replied, his gaze fixed on the mechanical remains. —Nemadia was the first to introduce static defense constructs autonomous systems capable of self-repair and maintaining intense firelines without human support.

—Oh, crap…— I muttered as the weight of the situation sank in. —I really hope this facility isn’t connected to the network. If these robots are online, we might be dealing with AIs using this technology.

Melena nodded, his expression turning grim.

—They’re probably already integrated. In fact… this facility might be one of the reasons why AIs have been so erratic for the past 300 years.

I exhaled deeply, pushing aside thoughts of conspiracies and culpability for another time. Staying alive had to be the priority.

—Whatever the case, that’s a problem for later. Let’s keep moving. Stay sharp.

We crossed the cleared hallway and ventured deeper into the complex. Soon, we reached what appeared to be a bridge extending over a dark abyss. As we stepped onto it, our flashlights partially illuminated the sheer scale of what lay ahead.

—What the hell…— I whispered, unable to hold back.

The structure was massive. Below the bridge stretched a multi-tiered facility plunging into unfathomable depths. Flickering lights cut through the shadows, revealing endless hallways, enormous chambers, and colossal machinery humming faintly in the distance.

—Mr Kailen… this is… enormous,— Melena said, his voice filled with awe.

I stayed silent for a moment, taking in the immensity of the construction. Then, unable to resist, I murmured,

—That’s what she said.

Melena slowly turned toward me, his expression oscillating between disgust and disbelief. For a moment, it seemed he’d lost all respect for me.

—Seriously? Really?— he asked incredulously. Before he could add more, he pointed downward.

—The schematics we reviewed said the VIP was on the seventh floor. But this… this has to be at least forty floors, maybe more.

The scale of the complex not only complicated our mission but also drove home the fact that we had stumbled into something far larger than we’d anticipated.

As the sense of awe finally wore off, my attention shifted to something I’d been ignoring: the noise. Across the facility, the echoes of combat reverberated like relentless hammering, a symphony of chaos and violence.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

—Without outside contact, we have to assume the VIP is still on the seventh floor. Stay close and stay cautious. I hear fighting everywhere,— I said, rummaging through the scavengers' corpses. I found a weapon that seemed functional and a couple of spare magazines.

—Take this,— I said, handing it to Melena. —But don’t use it unless it’s absolutely necessary. The last thing I need is for you to shoot me in the back.

Melena accepted the weapon, though hesitantly.

—I've never used one before, Commander Kailen.

—It’s simple: point at the enemy, short bursts. Never aim at your feet or your head. And most importantly, don’t shoot me.

With nothing more to add, we started moving again. But with the noise of combat intensifying, any attempt to move quickly was suicide. We had to change tactics, advancing with extreme caution. Corner by corner, room by room, we descended slowly. We ambushed both the machines and the scavengers with the same principle: shoot first, ask questions later.

Despite the constant tension, we managed to move almost without incident. However, on the third floor, an unexpected sound stopped us—a transmission coming through.

—Is anyone on this channel? Mr Kailen? Mr Yalen?

The voice was faint, nearly drowned out by interference and background noise, but I instantly recognized who it was.

—Remi! How’s the rest of the team?

—Mr Yalen, it’s good to hear you. We thought you were dead. Mr. Olaf was about to order the troops to retreat.

—Tell that punk he can’t pull back anything! —I growled, raising my voice in frustration. —We haven’t rescued the VIP yet.

Olaf’s reply came quickly, his tone dripping with irritation.

—What the hell is taking you so long?!

—A damn facility full of robotic constructs, Olaf! That’s what’s taking so long! —I shot back with equal energy, ready to escalate into a shouting match.

Before the situation could spiral further, Remi cut in, his tone calm but urgent.

—There’s no need to argue. Mr Kailen, you were right from the start. Among the hidden files, we found an encrypted map. There’s a passage that connects the bottom floor to an exit. Once you're done, you need to locate a control room. In one corner, there should be a vent at ground level. Follow it. It’ll lead you to a room with an elevator, though we’re not sure where it goes.

—Perfect, genius. That’s enough for us. —I quickly checked my ammunition before continuing. —Anything else?

—Yes, one last thing: your friend is on the fifth floor, wing D, room 524.

The transmission abruptly cut off, the sound of gunfire and explosions making it clear they were under heavy attack.

—Alright, we’ve got what we need, —I said, turning to Melena. —Change of plans. We’re heading down at full speed. On the fifth floor, we rescue my friend, then we keep moving down.

By the third floor, the cells had begun—rooms heavily modified with thick iron bars, packed with a disturbing number of prisoners.

I didn’t wait for a response or objections from Melena. I simply reloaded my weapon, adjusted my stance, and moved forward.

Time was a luxury we couldn’t afford.

We started descending at full speed. Where before I made sure to eliminate every threat in our path, now I ignored anything that wasn’t directly in our way. After all, I had no plans of retracing my steps.

Finally, we reached the fifth floor.

—Which way to wing D?

—That way. They’re using scientific notation, —Melena replied, pointing to a hallway marked with a Δ symbol on the walls.

—Good. Let’s take a detour. Once we’ve got Kan, we’ll have another fighter on our team.

Melena didn’t look convinced or excited, but he swallowed his complaints and followed me in silence.

Finally, we reached cell 24.

Among the crowd of faces behind the bars, I desperately searched for someone familiar. But I recognized no one.

—Damn it...

—Kailen? Is that you?

A weak voice pulled me out of my confusion.

—Who? Where are you?

—It’s me.

From the shadows, a figure stumbled forward. Where there had once been a proud and strong sentinel of the Nest, now only the shadow of a man remained. He was emaciated, with open wounds that, though they didn’t look too old, still showed signs of infection.

—Melena, open the door!

Melena hesitated, but one look from me was all it took for him to approach the lock.

Then, the room erupted in shouts. The uproar was enough to make Melena step back, raising his weapon instinctively, his hands trembling.

—Don’t try anything stupid —I warned, pointing my weapon at the prisoners—. Open the cell!

Clearly nervous, Melena obeyed and unlocked the door. Behind it, the prisoners watched anxiously, a mix of fear and desperation in their eyes. Some had that dark glint, the kind of look that foreshadows chaos.

The first one who tried to get close to Kan paid dearly for it. Without hesitation, I fired. The sound of the shot echoed through the room, and the man fell to the ground, lifeless.

—Stay where you are! —I growled, aiming my weapon back at the rest.

—You bastard! Are you going to leave us locked in here? —one of the prisoners shouted, his face twisted in rage.

—I don’t give a damn about any of you. Stay where you are.

—You don’t have enough bullets for all of us.

—Try your luck. —My voice was low, loaded with a threat that needed no further explanation.

Finally, the door swung wide open. Kan stepped out, staggering. Without wasting time, I grabbed him by the arm and pushed him and Melena toward the hallway.

—Back to the corridor, move it.

Both started running, and I made sure to cover their retreat.

As we moved through the corridor, the shouts of the prisoners grew louder, clamoring for their release or hurling insults. But they were no longer my problem. Each step took us further away from that cage of despair.

When we reached the main hallway, we stopped for a moment to catch our breath.

—Kan, you bastard, can you still fight? —I asked, looking him up and down.

—What, because of this? —he replied, gesturing at his sorry state with a sarcastic grin—. Don’t worry. I can still fight. Even wounded, it’d be embarrassing if a little girl like you ended up saving me, and carring my weight.

I crossed my arms, studying him for a second. Despite his obvious exhaustion and heavy breathing after that short run, the combative spirit was still intact in his eyes. He was an Enforcer of the Nest, after all, one of the few armed units in the city with constant training and a solid presence in the field.

—Melena, give him your weapon —I ordered bluntly—. We’ll keep moving down. Once we rescue the VIP, Kan will be responsible for your safety until we get out.

Melena hesitated but eventually handed over the weapon. The two exchanged a brief glance, a mix of discomfort and understanding, before nodding.

—Alright, let’s move. Time is ticking.

Without another word, we resumed our descent. The tension in the air was palpable, but we had a clear objective: get out of this nightmare alive.

If the previous floors had been tough, full of traps between scavengers and machines, the last two were absurdly ridiculous.

—Wait, are the machines fighting each other? —Kan asked, voicing what we were all thinking.

Sure enough, there were constructs battling one another, but it wasn’t chaotic or random. There was a clear division, as if three teams were fighting strategically.

—Has the damn world gone insane? Now even the machines have factions? —Kan muttered, watching the spectacle—. young master, have you ever seen anything like this?

—No. And don’t call me that, you bastard —I replied without looking at him.

Kan turned to Melena.

—And you, Melena? Ever come across something like this before?

Melena, visibly irritated by Kan’s tone, still answered:

—Not like this. I’ve seen machines lose control and attack each other, but this… this seems organized. It’s not the same phenomenon.

Kan chuckled in disbelief.

—So, what’s the plan, lil bro?

—We ignore everything that doesn’t attack us and keep moving down.

—Ignore them? Leaving so many enemies behind could be dangerous for our way back.

—I’m hoping we won’t have to come back this way.

—Hoping? I’d rather you said you knew.

—Yeah, so would I —I replied, keeping my eyes forward.

Kan sighed, adjusting the weapon we’d given him.

—Alright, ready.

I looked at Melena, who nodded nervously.

—This is the final push. We’re almost there.

We advanced, leaving behind the sound of machines fighting each other, an absurd war we had neither the time nor the energy to try to understand.